General Secretary of Bodu Bala Sena, Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thera today rejected 11 indictments filed by the Attorney General, for carrying out an attack on Calvary Church, Araliya Place, Talahena.
The Thera denied his involvement when the case was taken up for hearing by Colombo High Court Judge, Shiran Gunaratne.
S.A. Athula Seneviratne, W.M. Sudubanda, H. Tamara Beatrice, A.K. Denzel Premakumara Perera, C.S.C. Kandanaarachchi, T.K. Somadasa, E.M. Victor Ratnayake, K.W. Karunanada, E.M.H. Ratnayake, Ven. Attagama Gnanawimala Thera, Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thera and Danushka Sanjeewa were named as suspects in the attack against the church.
The indictments against the suspects included attacking the church, stealing a mobile phone worth Rs 15,000, stealing a gold chain worth Rs 50,000, assaulting people and being part of an unlawful assembly.
Giving evidence, the pastor of the church said, on 7 July 2008, Gnanasara Thera walked into the church and threatened him to stop the mass. He added, Gnanasara Thera addressed him using abusive words and assaulted him.
Answering the questions of the counsel representing the suspects, Nihal Gunasinghe, the pastor said he did not mention in his complaint that he was assaulted.
He also said, he did not want to drag a Buddhist monk to Court, but only wanted the justice for the injustice caused to him.
The judge put off the case till 7 July and ordered Gnanasara Thera to appear in Court on that day.
By Ishara Ratnakara
CT